Texas A&M Aggies: Kansas Jayhawks
Bayou City Beat: Foreman takes challenge 
June, 17, 2013
Jun 17
8:00
AM CT
By
Sam Khan Jr. | ESPN.com
Each week this spring, GigEmNation reporter Sam Khan Jr. will bring you notes/nuggets from watching and visiting with high school football prospects in the Greater Houston area that week. He will include observations of Texas A&M commitments and targets and other players who catch his attention. Here's this week's installment:
MANVEL, Texas -- For some, camps are a chance for players to show college coaches that they're worthy of an offer. For those who have more offers than they can fathom, it's a chance to watch, interact and visit with the coaches to get a feel for the program's staff.
MANVEL, Texas -- For some, camps are a chance for players to show college coaches that they're worthy of an offer. For those who have more offers than they can fathom, it's a chance to watch, interact and visit with the coaches to get a feel for the program's staff.
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CEDAR HILL, Texas -- The second annual Mike Adams Camp of Conquerors 7-on-7 tournament featured 13 of the top 7-on-7 teams in the Dallas area on Saturday. The tournament, put on by the NFL defensive back, gives the opportunity to win $5,000 for the winning 7-on-7 program.
Early Saturday evening, Mesquite (Texas) Horn defeated Cedar Hill to walk away with the championship.
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This spring, South Houston (Texas) High School receiver Elton Dyer saw several colleges pass through his campus and show interest in him.
In the summer he's hoping that interest translates to more offers.
In the summer he's hoping that interest translates to more offers.
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TYLER, Texas -- East Texas often is considered one of the nation’s most underrated areas in finding elite talent when it comes to college football recruiting. Sunday featured the inaugural East Texas Sports Network combine, which showcased more than 100 players from East Texas.
The event took place at the Accelerate Performance Enhancement Center (APEC) training facility, which has trained professionals such as quarterback Graham Harrell, running back Kendall Hunter and pro baseball pitchers Phillip Humber and Josh Tomlin.
The event took place at the Accelerate Performance Enhancement Center (APEC) training facility, which has trained professionals such as quarterback Graham Harrell, running back Kendall Hunter and pro baseball pitchers Phillip Humber and Josh Tomlin.
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Each week this spring, GigEmNation reporter Sam Khan Jr. will bring you notes and nuggets from watching and visiting with high school football prospects in the Greater Houston area that week, including observations of Texas A&M commitments and targets and other players that catch his attention. Here's this week's installment:
MANVEL, Texas -- Plenty of colleges have their eyes affixed on Manvel (Texas) High School because of 2014 prospect Koda Martin, who we profiled in-depth last week, but there are plenty more reasons for coaches to keep stopping by the school just south of Houston.
The 2013 class was loaded with the likes of receivers Austin Bennett (Oklahoma), Kyrion Parker (Texas A&M) and Carlos Thompson (Texas Tech), cornerback Tavares Garner (Texas A&M), defensive tackle Dewan Edmonson (UTEP), quarterback Shane McCarley (Old Dominon) and center Travis Romero (Southeastern Louisiana). Martin headlines a 2014 class that also includes a large defensive tackle, 6-foot-6, 280-pound Justin Gardner.
MANVEL, Texas -- Plenty of colleges have their eyes affixed on Manvel (Texas) High School because of 2014 prospect Koda Martin, who we profiled in-depth last week, but there are plenty more reasons for coaches to keep stopping by the school just south of Houston.
The 2013 class was loaded with the likes of receivers Austin Bennett (Oklahoma), Kyrion Parker (Texas A&M) and Carlos Thompson (Texas Tech), cornerback Tavares Garner (Texas A&M), defensive tackle Dewan Edmonson (UTEP), quarterback Shane McCarley (Old Dominon) and center Travis Romero (Southeastern Louisiana). Martin headlines a 2014 class that also includes a large defensive tackle, 6-foot-6, 280-pound Justin Gardner.
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Recruiting set to pick up for Braden Smith
January, 4, 2013
Jan 4
4:37
PM CT
By
Corey Dowlar | ESPN.com
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- ESPN Watch List offensive tackle Braden Smith (Olathe, Kan./Olathe) has taken the last few weeks to sit back and relax.
With the dead period in full effect, he was given some time to himself. But now that the contact period is about to get going again and teams are finishing up their bowl schedules, it will pick up again.
"Pretty much it has been going slow," he said. "But I think it is going to pick back up in January after all the bowls and stuff. I will try to take some visits to Texas and Notre Dame, places like that."
With the dead period in full effect, he was given some time to himself. But now that the contact period is about to get going again and teams are finishing up their bowl schedules, it will pick up again.
"Pretty much it has been going slow," he said. "But I think it is going to pick back up in January after all the bowls and stuff. I will try to take some visits to Texas and Notre Dame, places like that."
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Army Bowl: Wednesday notebook
January, 2, 2013
Jan 2
2:08
PM CT
By
Damon Sayles and
William Wilkerson | ESPN.com
SAN ANTONIO -- Wednesday was a day off for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl teams. Instead of working out and participating in drills, the players took in visits around the city -- including a stop at the Alamodome for photo opportunities and to see their game apparel -- and used the day to recover from two days of practice.
The teams will return to the fields on Thursday in arguably the most important practice of the week. Here are five things to keep an eye on for Thursday’s practice:
The teams will return to the fields on Thursday in arguably the most important practice of the week. Here are five things to keep an eye on for Thursday’s practice:
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Thanksgiving: Not same without A&M-Texas
November, 19, 2012
11/19/12
11:00
AM CT
By
David Ubben | ESPN.com
A year ago this Thursday night, I was roaming the sidelines at Kyle Field with a belly full of turkey and a gut full of anticipation.
You could feel it anywhere you went in College Station the whole day, whether fans were wearing maroon or burnt orange. There's a special atmosphere that looms over any game like that.
Fans want it more than any game on the schedule and the last century of college football has given us only a handful of games like that between teams of two fan bases who truly despise one another 365 days a year, culminating on one night to decide bragging rights for the next 365 days.
Texas owns those bragging rights for now via a 27-25 win last year that happened somehow, apparently. Looking back on it, I'm still not sure how.
This year, TCU comes into town to face Texas on Thanksgiving night. Texas A&M hosts Missouri two days later.
It's not the same. TCU's all well and good and it should be a fun game. They're not Texas A&M. The crowd in Austin will tell you that from start to finish.
Despite what either side will tell you, it's both of their faults this game isn't happening this year. Texas warned Texas A&M: Leave the Big 12, and this rivalry is over.
Texas A&M left the Big 12. Texas stuck to its word.
Now, here we are.
(For the record, these same things apply to Missouri and Kansas. KU, call me when you win a Big 12 game. Missouri, call me when you stop losing to Vanderbilt and Syracuse at home. Texas A&M and Texas could both still crash the BCS this year.)
It's pettiness on both sides. Texas A&M's first year in the SEC has been a fun one, but they're also living in a world in which No. 9 in the BCS is good for third in its division and fifth in its conference. Winning its second conference title in almost two decades will be an uphill battle, even if the Aggies are most certainly headed in the right direction under new coach Kevin Sumlin.
Texas is headed in the right direction, too, and a Big 12 title remains a possibility. Still, this weekend lacks the punch it has for the better part of the past 100 years.
College football fans are suffering because of the bickering of two high-powered programs.
Texas A&M left, but Texas holds the key to bringing back one of college football's greatest rivalry games on an annual basis.
As much as Texas fans are looking forward to Ole Miss coming to Austin next year, I think they'll be forgiving if you replace the Rebels with the team folks in Austin love to pretend they don't care about.
It's good for the bottom line. It's good for the state of Texas. It's good for the game of college football.
Texas wants to stick to its word. It doesn't want to look wishy-washy. I get that. Truth is, neither team needs this game more than the other. Both want it, though, as much as Texas fans want to pretend they don't.
Pretend you're taking the high road if you'd like, but just bring it back. A world of thanks from the world of college football awaits.
You could feel it anywhere you went in College Station the whole day, whether fans were wearing maroon or burnt orange. There's a special atmosphere that looms over any game like that.
Fans want it more than any game on the schedule and the last century of college football has given us only a handful of games like that between teams of two fan bases who truly despise one another 365 days a year, culminating on one night to decide bragging rights for the next 365 days.
Texas owns those bragging rights for now via a 27-25 win last year that happened somehow, apparently. Looking back on it, I'm still not sure how.
This year, TCU comes into town to face Texas on Thanksgiving night. Texas A&M hosts Missouri two days later.
It's not the same. TCU's all well and good and it should be a fun game. They're not Texas A&M. The crowd in Austin will tell you that from start to finish.
Despite what either side will tell you, it's both of their faults this game isn't happening this year. Texas warned Texas A&M: Leave the Big 12, and this rivalry is over.
Texas A&M left the Big 12. Texas stuck to its word.
Now, here we are.
(For the record, these same things apply to Missouri and Kansas. KU, call me when you win a Big 12 game. Missouri, call me when you stop losing to Vanderbilt and Syracuse at home. Texas A&M and Texas could both still crash the BCS this year.)
It's pettiness on both sides. Texas A&M's first year in the SEC has been a fun one, but they're also living in a world in which No. 9 in the BCS is good for third in its division and fifth in its conference. Winning its second conference title in almost two decades will be an uphill battle, even if the Aggies are most certainly headed in the right direction under new coach Kevin Sumlin.
Texas is headed in the right direction, too, and a Big 12 title remains a possibility. Still, this weekend lacks the punch it has for the better part of the past 100 years.
College football fans are suffering because of the bickering of two high-powered programs.
Texas A&M left, but Texas holds the key to bringing back one of college football's greatest rivalry games on an annual basis.
As much as Texas fans are looking forward to Ole Miss coming to Austin next year, I think they'll be forgiving if you replace the Rebels with the team folks in Austin love to pretend they don't care about.
It's good for the bottom line. It's good for the state of Texas. It's good for the game of college football.
Texas wants to stick to its word. It doesn't want to look wishy-washy. I get that. Truth is, neither team needs this game more than the other. Both want it, though, as much as Texas fans want to pretend they don't.
Pretend you're taking the high road if you'd like, but just bring it back. A world of thanks from the world of college football awaits.
Texas A&M has made sure that Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College outside linebacker Kenny Flowers knew that he was a priority.
The constant contact and effort that the Aggies put into recruiting the 6-foot-2, 228-pound prospect paid off in a big way Friday, when he called the coaches to commit to Texas A&M.
Flowers made the commitment on Friday afternoon and the December graduate is excited to be joining the program in a couple of months. He chose the Aggies over offers from Arkansas, Kansas, Kansas State and West Virginia. It was Texas A&M's aggressiveness in its pursuit that made the difference.
The constant contact and effort that the Aggies put into recruiting the 6-foot-2, 228-pound prospect paid off in a big way Friday, when he called the coaches to commit to Texas A&M.
Flowers made the commitment on Friday afternoon and the December graduate is excited to be joining the program in a couple of months. He chose the Aggies over offers from Arkansas, Kansas, Kansas State and West Virginia. It was Texas A&M's aggressiveness in its pursuit that made the difference.
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Notes: A&M hosting juco duo on officials
September, 20, 2012
9/20/12
2:00
PM CT
By
Sam Khan Jr. | ESPN.com
This summer, Texas A&M dipped into the junior college ranks to add to an area of need in its 2013 recruiting class: defensive tackle.
The result was the commitment of Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College defensive tackle Rob Zimmerman, a 6-foot-3, 320-pound prospect who committed to the Aggies in July.
This weekend, when the Aggies host South Carolina State at Kyle Field, Zimmerman will be one of two official visitors expected to be on hand. The other is his Hutchinson teammate, outside linebacker Kenny Flowers.
The result was the commitment of Hutchinson (Kan.) Community College defensive tackle Rob Zimmerman, a 6-foot-3, 320-pound prospect who committed to the Aggies in July.
This weekend, when the Aggies host South Carolina State at Kyle Field, Zimmerman will be one of two official visitors expected to be on hand. The other is his Hutchinson teammate, outside linebacker Kenny Flowers.
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ABOUT GIGEMNATION
Sam Khan Jr.
Sam Khan Jr. joined ESPN.com in 2012 after nearly seven years with the Houston Chronicle, covering the University of Houston, college sports and high school sports. Khan lives in Houston with his wife. He can be reached at skespn@gmail.com.